At times it can seem that everything about childhood has changed.

Yet despite our many technological advances, a solid grounding in basic skills such as reading and writing remains what children need most in order to be successful in school and in life. And, ironically, “old-school” skills (i.e., reading, writing and mathematics) are what help drive most of the high-tech tools today’s kids use most often.

Whether with paper books or computer and mouse, becoming skilled readers and writers during the early school years will help children tackle future studies in all their subject areas, learn more about what they like and might want to become, let the world know about their bright ideas and be successful workers down the road.

Reading and writing for the 21st century

Throughout their lives, children will draw on the important core subjects of reading and writing as they:

• tackle future learning—Whether consulting textbooks, e-books or Web sites, reading is still how students learn most new ideas;

• read to research new ideas;

• write clearly and persuasively to express creative ideas that show what they know and are capable of doing (For example, as more and more students vie for college acceptance and young workers compete for desirable jobs with those from around the world, knowing how to “sell” oneself with a written application can be key);

• collaborate (verbally and electronically via e-mail or text messaging) with co-workers, some who may not be native English speakers and may work in settings around the world; and

• learn, unlearn and relearn what they’ll need to be good citizens and effective workers in our ever-changing communities and world.

Laying the foundation: Reading and writing during the elementary years

From kindergarten through second grade, children are introduced to the nuts and bolts of reading and writing. They learn to recognize by sight frequently occurring words such as “and,” “play” and “see” that they’ll need to become independent readers. They are taught phonics skills, such as sounding words out and breaking large words into recognizable chunks (e.g., “day” and “time” make “daytime”). They learn to use clues from pictures to figure out what a story is about and learn why reading and writing are valuable—for fun, to understand what needs to be done (most homework directions are written), to stay safe (exit and street crossing signs) and to gather new and personally important information.

Students in the early elementary grades will gain experience with lots of different types of writing, such as poetry, nonfiction and fiction books in both the picture and chapter forms.

They are also introduced to informational text—nonfiction writing found in school textbooks, as well as in newspapers, magazines and Web sites that they’ll use to continue learning throughout their lives.

Children discover the parts of writing by studying the books they read (e.g., “Who are the main characters?” “When is this story taking place?”). They also practice crafting their own thoughts and ideas into writing that is similar to what they’ve read. By the time they reach third grade, most children are on their way to becoming competent readers and writers. Now the focus tends to shift from learning to read to reading to learn.

Students in the upper elementary grades use their reading skills to conduct research (with books and computer-based tools), to tackle more challenging books and other written materials (print and online) and to help expand their vocabularies and sharpen their grammar skills.

They may use their writing skills to create reports or computer-based presentations, focusing more on writing pieces that have specific purposes (e.g., relating a memory, corresponding with pen pals). Additionally, they practice the hard work of editing and rewriting and collaborate with classmates and teachers in order to present their best work.

For permission to reprint this article, please contact the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service by e-mailing us at dbushsuf@gw.neric.org.

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